The Rock Cycle

ROCK – naturally occurring solid mixture composed of minerals, smaller rock fragments, organic matter, or glass

MAGMA – melted rock below Earth’s surface (called “LAVA” above earth’s surface)

IGNEOUS ROCK – formed when magma/lava cools and crystalizes

SEDIMENT – small fragments of various types of rock that are broken away through weathering and erosion

• Physical Weathering: a change affecting the structure of a rock, but not its composition, for example breaking, rubbing away, or forming cracks in rocks (wind & water/ice)

• Chemical Weathering: alters the chemical composition of the rocks, for example disintegrating them or weakening their structure due to chemical changes

• Erosion: surface processes (wind/water) that remove rock, soil, or dissolved material from one location and transport it to another

• Deposition: sediments, soil, and rock are deposited in a new location to build up a landform or land mass

SEDIMENTARY ROCK – forms from layers of sediment that are compacted and cemented together

METAMORPHIC ROCK – forms deep within Earth when other types of rock are transformed due to intense heat and pressure

Weathering and Erosion

How the Grand Canyon was Formed